1. Technical Field
This invention relates to vehicle illuminating systems and, more particularly, to a vehicle illuminating system for providing users with an effective mechanism to illuminate the area behind their vehicle when they are backing up.
2. Prior Art
When driving a motor vehicle rearward with little or without any ambient illumination, the only vehicle lighting rearward of the motor vehicle is generally provided by the reverse signaling lamps. Unfortunately, conventional reverse signaling lamps are not designed to illuminate the ground, and indeed often do not provide satisfactory lighting for safe rearward driving. In recognizing the problem, certain vehicle manufacturers have taken measures to provide additional ground illumination rearward of the vehicle. In particular, one prior art example incorporates separate reverse signaling lamps and ground illumination lamps for vehicles. However, separate reverse signaling and ground illumination lamps are cost prohibitive, and raise engineering and styling issues, as additional lamps must now be incorporated onto the vehicle.
Also, generally directly to the rear of any motor vehicle there exists a blind spot. In other words, such a blind spot is an area where the operator is precluded from having sight. Any light to the rear of the vehicle applied to this area is of little or no benefit to the operator. Conventional reverse signaling lamps typically project light into this area. Depending on the vehicle, the size of the blind spot can substantially change. For example, for a small car with a very short vehicle length rearward of the operator the length of the blind spot may be 1-2 meters. However, for other vehicles such as a large pick-up truck for example, the blind spot may be up to 10 meters.
Accordingly, a need remains for a system for illuminating an area rearward of automobiles and the like in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a system that is convenient and easy to use, is durable in design, is versatile in its applications, and is instrumental in reducing reversing accidents.